In a case reminiscent of the Thabo Bester Facebook rapist saga, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the sentencing of 26-year-old Victor Mokoena to four terms of life imprisonment.
This, after the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg found Mokoena guilty of raping four young women whom he lured through social media with promises of modelling, promotional and photoshoot opportunities.
The case has echoes of the Bester saga, in which the convicted rapist and murderer used social media to deceive women and establish relationships with victims.
Bester, who was known as the “Facebook rapist”, was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and murder, among other offences, after his crimes and his subsequent escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre attracted national attention.
In a statement, the NPA says Mokoena was convicted of four counts of rape, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and pointing of an object resembling a firearm.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the four rape counts, 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, two years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and one year for pointing an object resembling a firearm.
According to the NPA, the sentences imposed on the remaining counts will run concurrently with the life sentences.
It notes that Mokoena operated in and around Johannesburg between March 2021 and October 2024, targeting young women through Facebook and Instagram.
He presented himself as a photographer or promoter and lured his victims with offers of modelling, promotional and photoshoot opportunities.
Once the victims arrived at the agreed locations, Mokoena took them to secluded areas, where he raped and assaulted them.
In some instances, the NPA says he strangled the victims, threatened them with an object resembling a firearm and robbed them of their belongings.
He also deleted conversations and contact details from the victims’ cellphones in an apparent attempt to conceal his identity and frustrate the investigation.
The NPA points out that the investigation linked several cases through the similarities in Mokoena’s modus operandi and digital evidence obtained from the victims.
Investigators established that he had used different names when communicating with his victims. Further investigation by Sergeant Nedombeloni ultimately linked the various cases to Mokoena.
State advocate Hope Zwane, in aggravation of sentence, submitted that Mokoena’s deliberate planning and persistence in identifying and luring his victims to secluded locations demonstrated that he posed a danger to society.
The court concurred with the State’s submissions and found that Mokoena had treated his victims with disdain and had used derogatory language towards them.
“The NPA welcomes the substantial sentences imposed by the court and commends the investigating officers and prosecution team for their diligent efforts in linking the various cases and ensuring Mokoena was held accountable for his crimes.
“The NPA reiterates its commitment to pursuing perpetrators of sexual offences and ensuring victims of gender-based violence receive justice. Members of the public, particularly young people, are urged to exercise caution when responding to unsolicited offers or opportunities on social media and to verify individuals' identities before meeting them in person,” it concludes.
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